1. History of the Helicopter

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1.1 Early developments

The first ideas to fly like a bird are very old but for a long time they couldn't be fullfilled due to a lack of technolgy.
This was about to change during the 19-the century when the most important basic concept were developed and the first attempts took place to build an actually flying helicopter.

1.2 The first flying models

Between 1910 and 1930 the helicopter prototypes gradually became more efficient by using better engines and airfoils. Cyclic control helped to control the machine during flight.
Most of these early flying birds used a co-axial design because it ellegantly solved the torque problem while avoiding the extra mechanical complexity of a tailrotor.
During the 1930s Corradino d'Ascanio and Louis Breguet and Rene Dorand build a succesfully flying co-axial helicopter.

1.3 Birth of the modern helicopter

From the early 1940s the conventional helicopter with its main and single tailrotor layout, pioneered by Igor Sikorsky with its VS-300 model, took over.
This layout dominates the helicopter industry up till now. In the next list you will find all helicopter models from 1907 up till now.